To our good health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin have been measuring health and health factors across the country for some time now. Brown County did pretty well in this year’s ratings, ranking 21st among Minnesota’s 87 counties in health outcomes.

There are a lot of good reasons for that. We have some great health care clinics in the county, and a lot of dedicated health care providers. We have a good public health program, and a clean environment.

But we could be doing better. The county’s obesity rate is above the state average, and our physical activity rate is low. In other words we could lose a few pounds and exercise more.

The county also has an excessive drinking rate that has been climbing a couple of percentage points since last checked, and we have a motor vehicle crash death rate that is above the state average. Wonder if the two might be related somehow?

All in all, our county’s overall health is pretty good, but it could be better. We need to cut back on the drinking, eat better and exercise more.